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Researcher Skills Toolkit

Preprints

“A preprint …is a scholarly output that is uploaded by the authors to a recognised publicly accessible archive, repository, or preprint service... This will include a range of materials that have been subjected to varying degrees of peer review from none to light and full review. Ideally, a preprint or comparable resource should have a unique identifier or a DOI (digital object identifier). Any citation of a preprint or comparable resource should be explicitly identified as such and listed in the references with a DOI, URL or equivalent, version number and/or date of access, as applicable.” (Adjustments to the ARC’s position on preprints)

  • Increased exposure and awareness of the research - this is especially important for early and mid-career researchers
  • Feedback is received prior to publication in a scholarly publication, providing the ability to improve upon the manuscript content 
  • Speed of availability – researchers can share research as soon as results are available, rather than waiting for publication via the traditional submission/review process 
  • Discoverability – adding a unique identifier, such as a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to a preprint allows for version control 
  • Open access – preprints are available without paywalls, free of charge for both the author and the reader.
  • Anyone, anywhere in the world can access them 
  • Potential to attract new collaborators 
  • The opportunity to publish 'unpublishable data' – that is, research that may produce null or negative results, providing the opportunity for others to benefit from research conducted 
  • Possibility of receiving increased citations. (see Preprints boost article citations and mentions)

Five tips for preparing preprints 

  1. Take the same care as for a journal manuscript 
  2. Do not leave out data or detailed method descriptions 
  3. Choose the right copyright Creative Commons licence for you 
  4. Check your target journal policies 
  5. Share and promote your preprint, and welcome comments. (Clemens, 2022)

Preprints can be published before or during manuscript submission to a journal.  

1. Check the preprint policy for the target journal/s  2. Find a preprint server  3. Apply a Creative Commons licence
Check the preprint policy of a journal either at the publisher site, or by searching in Sherpa Romeo or the TRANSPOSE Database. Some journals have their own preprint servers, others offer the option of loading manuscripts onto a preprint server or an institutional repository such as NOVA at the same time as submitted for publication.

Creative Commons licences provide a simple way for authors to share their work with others without infringing copyright. The licences allow users to reuse, remix and share the content legally. 

Australian Research Council (ARC)

Adjustments to the ARC Position on Preprints

“For future scheme rounds, the Australian Research Council (ARC) will allow the referencing and inclusion of preprints in any part of a National Competitive Grant Program (NCGP) grant application. This includes within the Research Outputs list as well as the body of an application” 

National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

NHMRC - What can be included as publications?

The NHMRC accepts publications in ten categories: Accepted for Publication, Books/Chapters, Editorials, Journal Articles (Original Research), Journal Articles (Review), Letters to the Editor, Preprints, Research Report – commissioned by Government, Industry or Other, Technical Report and Text Book.On advice from NHMRC's Research Committee (RC) in June 2021 and considering current international practice, NHMRC will accept preprints as publications for track record assessment purposes for schemes opening from October 2021.” 

Preprint policies by international funding agencies.

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